Unforgettable River Cruises along the Rhine

This is a guest post by Iain Miller.

Great river cruises demand great rivers. Think of a list of some of the major waterways of the world and the Mississippi is sure to be there, right up at the top. So is the Amazon and, of course, the River Nile. Europe, too, has it fair share of incredible waterways and there are none so impressive as the Rhine.

To know and understand the River Rhine is to appreciate its role within European history. To the Roman invaders, the Rhine symbolized the edge of civilisation and reason, the far banks representing an almost mythical region inhabited by wild animals and even fiercer Germanic tribesmen. Although it was an area they greatly feared, and never fully conquered, the Romans from time to time mounted expeditions to explore the vast, unexplored wilderness on the other side of the river.

Eventually, as the power and influence of the empire grew, the Romans stationed more and more troops along the Rhine in a bid to exert greater control. At its height, some eight legions were posted there within five permanent bases. When Roman power waned, tribesmen up and down the river crossed over and filled the vacuum. The eventual outcome of this was the formation of the Kingdom of the Franks, and then later the Carolingian Empire, which is historically seen as the beginnings of France and Germany proper.

During the Second world War, the River Rhine was always seen as a formidable natural obstacle to the advancing allies intent on invasion of Germany. Indeed, the river, and particularly the bridges across it, featured in several famous battles. Who hasn’t heard about the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem, in the eastern part of the Netherlands, for example, immortalised by the film A Bridge Too Far? Then there was that other bridge, at Remagen, Germany, also the subject of a film. The actual name of the bridge was the Ludendorff Bridge, captured intact by American forces despite German attempts to destroy it. The bridge was originally built during the First world War to help with the transport of troops to the Western Front.

The River Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe, rising in the eastern Swiss Alps and flowing for 766 miles until it reaches the North Sea. During its travels, it passes through no fewer than seven countries – Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands. It is called by different names depending on the country through which it flows. The Germans know it as ‘Rhein’, while the French call it ‘Rhine’. In the Netherlands, the Rhine is known as ‘Rijn’.

But whatever it’s called, cruises along the River Rhine have been growing in popularity year by year. And little wonder given all there is to see and enjoy. It is truly a river full of delightful contrasts. From the towns of Cologne, famed for its cathedral, and Koblenz, with its delightfully historic narrow streets, squares and medieval churches, to Strasbourg, the home of the European Parliament, the fabulous River Rhine has something for everyone, making for a truly memorable holiday experience.

About the author:

Iain Miller has written numerous travel-related articles for a wide variety of online publications. He currently works with various online travel agencies.

Images by 1 and 2 from Flick’r Creative Commons.  This was a sponsored post.